as in economical
careful in the management of money or resources
by being frugal, the family is able to stretch its monthly budget
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in economy
careful management of material resources
her lifelong frugality has enabled her to save enough money to go to college next year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frugal
Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Terry Crews played Julius Rock, the hardworking, hilariously frugal father whose discipline and devotion became a defining part of the show.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
IEEE Spectrum, 17 Dec. 2025
Baby boomers’ good timing America’s septuagenarians were raised by parents who came of age during the Great Depression and learned the hard way the lessons of frugality and the importance of saving money.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frugal
Adjective
The more frugal sides are decried as misers or praised for their market savvy, no matter the surrounding factors.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Terry Crews played Julius Rock, the hardworking, hilariously frugal father whose discipline and devotion became a defining part of the show.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
Keeping things simple and comparatively cheap could improve Dectravalve’s chances of catching on with automakers and suppliers notorious for frugality.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Dec. 2025
Baby boomers’ good timing America’s septuagenarians were raised by parents who came of age during the Great Depression and learned the hard way the lessons of frugality and the importance of saving money.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frugal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frugal
Adjective
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Southern had calculated that the plant would be economical if the price of natural gas rose above $5 per million BTUs (British thermal units).—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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His movements have been economical.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the years following Deng Xiaoping’s turn toward a capitalist economy, some Chinese intellectuals felt a kind of spiritual malaise; Deng’s reforms had failed to provide moral direction for a vast and proud former empire.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
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Digging the channel up to 10 feet deeper and 300 feet wider in some places would add $550 million a year to the local economy, according to port officials.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Daylight saving time disrupts the circadian rhythms of the human body, and the abrupt time change has been linked to higher risk of mood disorders and heart diseases, according to the organization.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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These institutions tend to offer higher rates to savers than those with local banking branches, thanks to the former saving on overhead and maintenance costs.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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What started out as a thrifty practice has become an unofficial commandment of Southern kitchens—don't waste one drop of tasty bacon grease.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
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Budgeting is always a factor, but Gaines offers a thrifty solution by shopping your own home.—
Isabella Milano,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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No one wants to bring home a vacuum cleaner with someone else’s dirt inside, so be sure to empty it before bringing it to the thrift store.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
4 Mar. 2026
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The high-value heirlooms underscore that Dunn’s Attic isn’t your typical thrift store of second-hand donations or a rummage sale’s random assortment.—
Colleen McNally Arnett,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Two of them are falsifiability and parsimony.—
Calum Lister Matheson,
The Conversation,
14 Nov. 2025
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No act of parsimony shrinks the size of government either.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frugal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frugal. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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